TK-421
Well-known member
So I'm definitely way out of my league here and in need of some advice/ideas, and I figure asking more experienced people is definitely the way to go, so here I am.
I'm going to automotive classes at my local community college this fall, so I need to figure out a way to transport my tools there and back for classes. While they do have lockers there for student use, the way they've scheduled the classes I'll be forced to attend to two different campuses, so I can't just store them in the locker. Plus the fact that the lockers at my main campus are only 13" wide by 16" deep by 35" high, and I don't think there's any way I can store the required tools in a locker that small and still have them organization.
Organization is the key here, and that's why I'm having a difficult time. Sure, I could just toss my tools in a few duffel bags and call it good, but then I'd spend forever trying to find each tool I need. So I'd much rather have organization and have a spot for every tool, that way I know exactly where something is, and I know I've left it somewhere if it's not there.
Here's the list of tools I currently have: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ho0V6TPq8lwBTXAvejQt4yuuTa0jDlPOGTepc8b5ffE/edit?usp=sharing
That's not all the tools I need though, which is why I'm in a quandary, because I'm running out of room in the box I currently have, and I still have more tools to buy.
The tools I still need are 3/8" and 1/2" impacts, sockets and extensions for the two impacts, a 1/2" socket set and ratchet, a power probe IV, a fender cover, a bag for my jumper cable set, some scrapers, a multimeter, wire strippers, wire crimpers, a "T" gauge set, a ring compressor set, an oil pressure gauge set, a tap and die set, hose clamp pliers, hose pinch off pliers, and 3/8" and 1/2" torque wrenches.
Somehow I need to fit all those new tools, and all the tools I currently have, into some sort of toolbox system that will fit into the back of my car, with organization being a necessity, and being able to carry everything in one trip being a high priority.
This is the tool box I currently have, and it's probably about as big as I can easily fit into my car.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_336429-1156-9124SR___?productId=3355634&pl=1&Ntt=blue+hawk+chest
I don't have the option of putting very much in my trunk either, as I have a set of subwoofers that take up the vast majority of that space, so everything has to fit on my back seat and front passenger seat.
One idea I had was to rig up some sort of clamp system that would hold a second tool box on top of the one I have, but something a lot shorter. However, the problem with that idea is that the lid on my tool box is very flimsy, and I don't think it could support very much weight hanging off it when I pick it up to wheel it around.
Another idea I just had, though, is a b-train idea. Where I somehow rig up a tow system, so that I can hook a second tool box onto the back of the first system, and me pulling on the front tool box then also pulls the second tool box. The problem with that idea, however, is that the handle retaining system is fairly flimsy, and I'd worry about the handle either bending or plastic breaking and the handle pulling out of the box, due to the weight of both boxes.
I got an idea off the web of cutting up a bucket boss and attaching that to the interior of the box to get some storage along the inside walls, but that's quickly filling up, and I still have a lot of loose tools floating around that I need to find a way to organize them.
Here's the way I have the inside of my toolbox set up:
Here's part of the tools I currently have, and need to figure out how to shoe horn into this box:
The car I'm trying to fit this all into is your average size 4 door sedan, specifically a Mazda 6, and the 20" width of the box I currently have is probably the widest I'd want to go, any wider and I run the risk of accidentally putting a box lid edge through the window, or scraping up the inside of my door, both of which I want to avoid. I also figured out that both would be possibility when I purchased a Husky 37" Mobile Job Box, which is 23" wide, and had a massive hassle trying to load the empty box into my car, and realized that there would be absolutely no way I'd be able to load it into my car without damaging something once the box was loaded.
So, hopefully someone here has gone through something similar to what I'm going through and will be able to help me out, as I'm completely lost here.
I'm going to automotive classes at my local community college this fall, so I need to figure out a way to transport my tools there and back for classes. While they do have lockers there for student use, the way they've scheduled the classes I'll be forced to attend to two different campuses, so I can't just store them in the locker. Plus the fact that the lockers at my main campus are only 13" wide by 16" deep by 35" high, and I don't think there's any way I can store the required tools in a locker that small and still have them organization.
Organization is the key here, and that's why I'm having a difficult time. Sure, I could just toss my tools in a few duffel bags and call it good, but then I'd spend forever trying to find each tool I need. So I'd much rather have organization and have a spot for every tool, that way I know exactly where something is, and I know I've left it somewhere if it's not there.
Here's the list of tools I currently have: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ho0V6TPq8lwBTXAvejQt4yuuTa0jDlPOGTepc8b5ffE/edit?usp=sharing
That's not all the tools I need though, which is why I'm in a quandary, because I'm running out of room in the box I currently have, and I still have more tools to buy.
The tools I still need are 3/8" and 1/2" impacts, sockets and extensions for the two impacts, a 1/2" socket set and ratchet, a power probe IV, a fender cover, a bag for my jumper cable set, some scrapers, a multimeter, wire strippers, wire crimpers, a "T" gauge set, a ring compressor set, an oil pressure gauge set, a tap and die set, hose clamp pliers, hose pinch off pliers, and 3/8" and 1/2" torque wrenches.
Somehow I need to fit all those new tools, and all the tools I currently have, into some sort of toolbox system that will fit into the back of my car, with organization being a necessity, and being able to carry everything in one trip being a high priority.
This is the tool box I currently have, and it's probably about as big as I can easily fit into my car.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_336429-1156-9124SR___?productId=3355634&pl=1&Ntt=blue+hawk+chest
I don't have the option of putting very much in my trunk either, as I have a set of subwoofers that take up the vast majority of that space, so everything has to fit on my back seat and front passenger seat.
One idea I had was to rig up some sort of clamp system that would hold a second tool box on top of the one I have, but something a lot shorter. However, the problem with that idea is that the lid on my tool box is very flimsy, and I don't think it could support very much weight hanging off it when I pick it up to wheel it around.
Another idea I just had, though, is a b-train idea. Where I somehow rig up a tow system, so that I can hook a second tool box onto the back of the first system, and me pulling on the front tool box then also pulls the second tool box. The problem with that idea, however, is that the handle retaining system is fairly flimsy, and I'd worry about the handle either bending or plastic breaking and the handle pulling out of the box, due to the weight of both boxes.
I got an idea off the web of cutting up a bucket boss and attaching that to the interior of the box to get some storage along the inside walls, but that's quickly filling up, and I still have a lot of loose tools floating around that I need to find a way to organize them.
Here's the way I have the inside of my toolbox set up:
Here's part of the tools I currently have, and need to figure out how to shoe horn into this box:
The car I'm trying to fit this all into is your average size 4 door sedan, specifically a Mazda 6, and the 20" width of the box I currently have is probably the widest I'd want to go, any wider and I run the risk of accidentally putting a box lid edge through the window, or scraping up the inside of my door, both of which I want to avoid. I also figured out that both would be possibility when I purchased a Husky 37" Mobile Job Box, which is 23" wide, and had a massive hassle trying to load the empty box into my car, and realized that there would be absolutely no way I'd be able to load it into my car without damaging something once the box was loaded.
So, hopefully someone here has gone through something similar to what I'm going through and will be able to help me out, as I'm completely lost here.
So your main concerns should be tool organization and accessibility plus staying within a reasonable/manageable amount of weight. Some of those boxes can be parted for ease of transport, given that you don't have much free space in your car. Maybe you should think about sacrificing those subwoofers... 
knowing that there would be a scheduling and location Issue. Unless you possibly did this to yourself 
